Hope College Sustainability Institute

By Kerry Irons, Pedal Holland
As the weather gets nicer, it’s easier to get children outside for biking and walking while following facemask and social distance guidelines. But other safety measures should be taken too – even after the COVID-19 crisis passes.
Parents and caregivers can help children learn safe skills and behaviors by providing repeated instruction and modeling.
Children who are 4 to 6 years old are entering a time when their physical and mental abilities allow basic walking and sidewalk bicycling safety skills to be introduced, discussed, and practiced.
Children 7 to 9 years old can continue expanding their pedestrian and bicycling abilities and knowledge through more education and practice with adult supervision.
But remember, 7 to 9 year olds are developing and gaining skills at varying rates. There are skills that some 7 year olds can master that present a challenge to some 9 year olds. Adults need to recognize this range of abilities and tailor the teaching and experiences appropriately.
Children age 10 and older continue to develop their physical, cognitive and psychosocial abilities.
With proper training and experience, ages 10 to 12 is when children can begin to safely ride bicycles in the street.
Parents can teach and reinforce judgment skills by walking and bicycling with their children and modeling safe behavior. Young children need to walk with an adult to practice safe street crossing behavior. Parents should wear bike helmets, because if children see it is OK for mom and dad to not wear one, they won’t wear one either when they are out of their parent’s sight.
Attention-switching and concentration are cognitive skills that children are developing throughout childhood, so they often need extra help focusing on the important information in a crossing situation.
Children need help from adults to repeat many times the process of “stop, wait, listen and look” while crossing the street before they can complete it safely by themselves. Also, asking “Can you see a car?” is more effective than “Look both ways.” The latter can become a ritual behavior rather than an action to spot traffic.
Parents can “narrate” their good behaviors, telling their children how they are looking for cars, preparing to stop, watching the driver’s face, estimating vehicle speed, etc. Parents can do this while driving as well, imparting traffic awareness and the logic process used to safely navigate traffic.
The ultimate goal of a parent’s time spent discussing and modeling safe walking and cycling with children – and giving them opportunities to practice – is to help children become safe, confident and independent pedestrians and bicyclists.
Those children will be able to recognize and pick the best places to walk, ride, cross, and behave as safely as possible near traffic. They will also grow up to become better drivers because they understand how to share the road with people on foot and bicycle.

  Kerry Irons is a retired chemical engineer who has lived in Holland for five years.  Irons is a lifelong cyclist who is a member of Pedal Holland, which advocates for bicycle safety in Holland.

Children and traffic: A dangerous mix Understand children’s limitations in dealing with traffic. Remember that children:
 Have about a one-third narrower field of vision than adults.
 Cannot easily judge a car’s speed and distance.
 Assume that if they can see a car, its driver must be able to see them.
 Cannot readily tell the direction a sound is coming from.
 May be impatient and impulsive.
 Concentrate on only one thing at a time; this is likely not to be traffic.
 Have a limited sense of danger.
 Often mix fantasy with reality.
 Imitate the (often bad) behavior of others, especially older children and adults.
Given children’s limitations, drivers should:
 Be especially cautious where children walk, ride or play.
 Reduce speeds around children.
 Stop completely at stop bars and crosswalks.
 Be prepared to stop suddenly.

The Safe Routes to School (SR2S) program has a great guide on children’s bike and pedestrian safety at http://guide.saferoutesinfo.org/pdf/SRTS-Guide_Education.pdf

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Transportation: The movement of people, goods, and services within the area is an evolving system that links us to our regional, national and global networks.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

By Chris Grant, Citizens Climate Lobby
One day while I was raking leaves, it occurred to me to investigate the decibel level of the leaf blowers in use all around me, with the thought that I might need ear protection while using my rake. A Google search turned up information regarding noise, and also some surprising facts about leaf lower emissions.
Many gas-powered blowers have two-stroke (also called two-cycle) engines that burn a mix of gas and oil. Because combustion is incomplete, the engines add to air pollution by emitting hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and carbon monoxide. In fact, a comprehensive study by Edmunds Automotive comparing emissions of cars, pickup trucks and leaf blowers found that two-cycle blowers emitted 299 times the hydrocarbons and 23 times the carbon monoxide as the pickup truck!
One possible explanation for this astonishing result is that, unlike two-cycle engines, diesel and gasoline vehicle engines are highly regulated and much cleaner than decades ago. In other words, two-cycle technology is obsolete, though it’s also used in most string trimmers and chainsaws.
As for noise, typical gas-powered leaf blowers produce 80 to 85 decibels, which can be harmful to hearing, and some less-expensive models may produce up to 112 decibels, with hearing loss possible in less than five minutes. Decibels are calculated in such a way that the relationship between levels is not linear; 120 decibels is 32 times as loud as 70.
And noise diminishes slowly with distance. At least seven jurisdictions in Michigan are attempting to regulate gas-powered leaf blowers by restricting decibel level and/or hours and days of operation.
Alternatives to two-cycle engines include four-cycle models with lower emissions and corded or cordless (battery-powered) electric versions. The use of electric equipment shifts production of greenhouse gases to power plants outfitted with scrubbers that remove pollutants. In Holland, Hope College is currently transitioning away from gasoline engines for some of its landscaping equipment.
Also in Holland, the community organization 3sixty has developed a comprehensive tool-sharing system called the Tool Library. (Although the Tool Library is temporarily closed due to coronavirus concerns, it will reopen at an appropriate time with safety measures in place. Updates will be posted on the neighborhood’s website at www.3-sixty.org.)
Featuring power and non-power tools, most of the library’s blowers, trimmers and mowers are electric. Electric equipment initially can be more expensive than gas-powered choices, a drawback addressed by the borrowing program.
The neighborhood’s website, www.3-sixty.org, includes a short video about the library along with contact, appointment and membership information. It’s also possible to borrow tools for a fee without becoming a member. Use of the Tool Library is open to anyone over 18 years old in the city’s core neighborhoods – Eighth to 24th streets between Ottawa and Fairbanks/Lincoln Avenues.
This cooperative program is a fine example of how to promote sustainability on a local level, an example other neighborhoods and communities might want to explore.
 Chris Grant is a City of Holland resident and is interested in helping our community better understand our choices for reducing our carbon footprint. Chris is a member of the Citizens Climate Lobby.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Environmental Awareness/Action: Environmental education and integrating environmental practices into our planning will change negative outcomes of the past and improve our future.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

By Patrick Cisler, Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance
Stimulus checks from the federal government started to arrive in the bank accounts or mailboxes of Ottawa County residents over the past week. These funds are vital for those who are currently unemployed or underemployed, struggling with food security, or facing unexpected financial challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The majority of American households will need their stimulus funds to cover basic expenses over the next couple of months. While we know the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t yet been revealed, we’ve already seen initial implications for our economy. The nonprofit sector has seen and felt the impact, too, with requests for services like food assistance rapidly increasing.
What about those households who are in a stable financial position, but receive a stimulus check which they may not need? To those people, we humbly ask you to consider sharing the stimulus.
A coalition of nonprofit and government leaders here in Ottawa County believe that small, intentional acts of investment in our local community can help us all emerge stronger from the other side of this. That’s why we’ve created the #ShareTheStimulus campaign.
Sharing the stimulus can take any number of forms. For some, it’s ordering carry-out from your favorite local restaurants and leaving generous tips for the servers. You can purchase goods or gift cards online from a small business. Perhaps you’ve noticed people in your circle of influence who are struggling and want to give directly to them.
Another option is to make a financial gift directly to a nonprofit of your choice, or a contribution to the Emergency Human Needs Funds set-up by The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, The Grand Haven Community Foundation, and Greater Ottawa County United Way. Donations to the Emergency Human Needs Funds are distributed in real-time to support the incredible agencies who are keeping people fed, housed, and healthy during this pandemic.
To date, over $534,000 has been distributed from the Emergency Human Needs Fund. Generous contributions from our community, along with seed money from the three founding agencies, made this impact possible. Grants are helping Community Action House pack food boxes that support two people for a week. They are helping Mosaic Counseling continue to offer mental health services to their clients by adapting to remote sessions. They are helping Children’s Advocacy Center remain available to children and their families affected by abuse. A full list of agencies receiving grants is available at careottawacounty.com.
Sharing the stimulus, whether you choose to order food, buy a gift card, help a neighbor, or support the mission of a nonprofit, ensures our community can bounce back from these challenging times. The need is great, and the time is now. Please join us if you can and #ShareTheStimulus.

 Patrick Cisler is executive director of the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, an organization which works to strengthen the ability of more than 150 member nonprofit organizations to successfully accomplish their missions by working together.

In celebration of the 50th Annual Earth Day (April 22), Michigan universities and colleges are excited to collaborate to present Earth Week Bingo as a call to action.  Please join us in completing various Earth-themed activities (this week and every other day) to honor our beautiful community and take care of our Earth.  While still heeding social distancing guidelines, choose activities and post photos of the activities that you complete all week! Try to complete a full line of the bingo board, or even fill out the whole thing.  Every time you post a photo, show your collegiate spirit and tag your school (or alma mater!), use their hashtag, and #miearthday!

Tag us at-

Twitter: HC_Green Instagram: HollandHopeSustainability Facebook: Hope Advocates for Sustainability

Earth Day 2020 Bingo pdf

By Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger, Religion Department, Hope College
April 22, 1970. I remember it well. The very first Earth Day. It was a special day in my junior high school. We watched some of the national events – in Washington D.C. and New York City – on a television. We went outside and planted some flowers. We discussed some of the local environmental issues of that day – water pollution, air pollution, species extinction.
The brainchild of Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson, Earth Day was designed to promote care for the environment and place such care permanently on the national political agenda. But neither Nelson nor any of the other organizers knew how influential an event Earth Day would turn out to be.

More than 20 million people participated – nearly one in 10 Americans at that time. Imagine a gathering today of 10 percent of our present population – 33 million Americans. That is over three times the population of the entire state of Michigan.
Fifty years later that very first Earth Day ranks as not only one of the largest gatherings in American history, but also one of the most influential. Many mark that first Earth Day as the real beginning of the environmental movement.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was founded on Oct. 3, 1970. Congress passed the Clean Air Act with only one dissenting vote and it was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on Dec. 31, 1970. The Clean Water Act was signed into law in 1972. The Endangered Species Act was passed in 1973. The Toxic Substances Control Act in 1976. The list goes on.
In short, that first Earth Day fundamentally altered for the better the political, economic, and cultural (not to mention the physical or ecological) landscape of our country.
So, what about Earth Day 2020? What will we do on this Earth Day to make the world a better place? What will we do in the weeks and months and years ahead that will cause those on Earth Day 2070 to say that our home planet is more habitable and hospitable because of what earthkeepers did in 2020?
(For more on this, see the Earth Day 50th anniversary special issue of National Geographic, presenting two contrasting possible futures: “How We Lost the Planet/How We Saved the World).

We live in a time when, in the face of large and seemingly intractable ecological problems, many say there is nothing one person can do to make a difference. We feel helpless. But we must resist the urge to think we are helpless. Just like those on Earth Day 1970, we must be people of hope who imagine and believe possible a good future of earthly flourishing, and then do what is needed to make it real.
Robin Wall Kimmerer, a college professor and writer, tells the story of one of her students who responded to her apology that the environmental activism of her (baby boomer) generation should have solved more of the problems we currently face. Her student replied: “When everything hangs in the balance, it matters where I stand. How wonderful to live in a time when everything that I do matters.”
Everything that we do matters. So, let’s celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day by doing what we can to make our home planet more livable for those (human and non-human) around us.
 A college professor for 30 years, Dr. Steven Bouma-Prediger loves nothing better than teaching students outside.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Environmental Awareness/Action: Environmental education and integrating environmental practices into our planning will change negative outcomes of the past and improve our future.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

In Holland, we believe that in order to become a vibrant, world-class community we must look at all aspects of our community.  This includes the “Triple Bottom Line”  and the economic, social, and environmental impacts we all have. Our City of Holland Sustainability Committee has created a seven-pillar framework with “lenses” to help us evaluate and make more sustainable choices. We have used this framework model as a way to identify the 2020 Hope College Sustainability Research Projects.

The Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute would like to formally recognize the following projects that presented during the 2020 Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (CURCA) on Friday, April 17.  

PDF Document:  2020 Sustainability Research Projects

Framework Categories:

SMART ENERGY  

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 

TRANSPORTATION  

COMMUNITY & NEIGHBORHOOD  

QUALITY OF LIFE  

COMMUNITY KNOWLEDGE  

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION & AWARENESS  

For more information about the Framework visit:

www.hollandsustainabilityreport.org

For more information about the Annual Celebration visit:

https://hope.edu/academics/celebration-undergraduate-research/

The students and their projects represented all of the college’s academic divisions — the arts, humanities, social sciences, and natural and applied science.

The research and performance celebration, first presented in 2001, is designed to spotlight the quality and importance of student-faculty collaborative research at Hope. Undergraduate research is a hallmark experience for many Hope students and has been a teaching model used at the college for more than seven decades. Mentored collaborative research happens year-round, with approximately 300 students conducting faculty-supervised independent research during the academic year and 200 doing research over the summer, making Hope’s summer research program among the largest in the nation at a liberal arts college. Since faculty are active in scholarship year-round, many more students engage in research during the academic year.

Research has a long and storied history at Hope College. More than 100 years ago, biologist Dr. Samuel O. Mast designed research laboratory space for the college’s Van Raalte Hall, which opened in 1903. The late Dr. Gerrit Van Zyl, who taught chemistry at the college from 1923 to 1964, is widely recognized for developing research-based learning at Hope in its modern sense.

By Kerry Irons, Pedal Holland
As people look for socially-distanced recreation close to home, the growing numbers of families and individuals out for walks or bike rides makes this a good time to review bicyclist and pedestrian traffic awareness.
The safety of active transportation users depends on traffic awareness by all involved.
Bicycle and pedestrian safety advocates often say that you should assume that drivers do not see you and take appropriate defensive actions. Some bicyclists go so far as to say (only partly joking) that cyclists should assume that they have a flashing light on their helmet that says “10 points.” A paranoid bicyclist in an urban setting can be excused for assuming that cars “are out to get them,” but that concern can promote greatly improved safety behavior by the rider.
A common complaint from some motorists is that bicyclists should be on the sidewalk because of their “dangerous behavior.” Yet, a recent study shows that bicyclists contributed to the cause of car/bicycle injury accidents only 2 percent of time by disobeying a stop sign or traffic light. Wearing dark clothing at night is a potential collision cause in about 2.5 percent of cases, and failure to use lights at night was mentioned 2 percent of the time.

Some motorists are not looking for cyclists, and cyclists are expecting motorists to see them when in fact the drivers don’t. Distracted driving (phone use, among other activities) only makes this problem worse.
Unfortunately, these same issues exist for pedestrians.
Sidewalk users need to be aware of motorist behavior and not just assume that the cars will yield appropriately. It does the pedestrian no good to be legally in the right but hit by a car.
Curb cuts have been a great benefit for disabled sidewalk users, but they tempt sidewalk bicyclists to blow through street crossings and can create a hazard if the bicyclists are not traffic aware. Pedestrians should try to establish eye contact with drivers before crossing the street.
All sidewalk users are considered pedestrians, even if they are riding a bike, in-line skating, using a power chair, or skate boarding. They must practice traffic awareness at intersections and crosswalks in anticipation that drivers are often not looking for them on the sidewalk. Simply entering the street because the pedestrian has the right of way can result in easily avoidable collisions.
Likewise, drivers being distracted by a phone or conversation can put pedestrians in danger.
Drivers need to scan the sidewalks on both sides of the street they are on and the street they are crossing to anticipate pedestrian behavior. A bicycle on the sidewalk can easily be traveling at 10 mph, so drivers need to “look ahead” and anticipate.
Just as pedestrians cannot assume that drivers see them, drivers cannot assume that pedestrians will behave correctly. And in both residential and business areas, where there are many parked cars on the sides of the street, drivers must assume that a pedestrian will sometimes decide to cross mid-block, emerging from between the cars. Drivers should look at the pedestrian’s face, which will often give clues about what they are going to do.
When road users and pedestrians make traffic awareness their first priority, everyone’s safety will improve dramatically.
  Kerry Irons is a retired chemical engineer who has lived in Holland for five years.  Irons is a lifelong cyclist who commuted to work by bike year-round for 30 years in central Michigan. He is a member of Pedal Holland, which advocates for bicycle safety in Holland.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Transportation: The movement of people, goods and services within the area is an evolving system that links us to our regional, national and global networks.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

By Mike Goorhouse, The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area
I am inspired by all of the quarantined individuals seeking out opportunities to connect and support one another during this time of social distancing.
People are engaging in impromptu concerts on balconies, coordinating two minutes of applause for those on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, or sewing face masks to donate.
In the Holland/Zeeland area, there are plenty of ways to help from the safety of your own home. One of those is the #StayHomeFightHunger campaign.
This family-friendly project was started by Community Action House, and I loved the idea so much I jumped on board to help promote it. It’s a great opportunity for kids of all ages to learn about and practice philanthropy!
Following a set of packing and delivery instructions found under the “Volunteer at Home” section of www.careottawacounty.com, families pack boxes with high-need items like pasta noodles and sauce, cans of meat, canned vegetables and fruit, paper towels, and soap. They can then decorate the box and add a caring note from their family.

When the box is dropped off at Community Action House, their staff will add fresh fruit and veggies, dairy products, bread and meat. One box can feed two people for seven days.
The need is high. Community Action House is currently providing 100 boxes each day to those struggling with food security, which is four times the amount of food they were serving before the COVID-19 crisis. Thankfully, our community is stepping up in big ways. Shoreline Container donated 4,000 of the perfect-size boxes, and more than 250 family food boxes were packed and delivered in the first week!
As an additional incentive to encourage others to participate in #StayHomeFightHunger, my family and I pledged a financial contribution to Community Action House, and later added Hand2Hand Ministries, for each family who packs a box. We’ve been joined in this commitment by four additional generous companies: Holland Doctors of Audiology, Lakewood Construction, PeopleIT, and The Insurance Group – Stacy Segrist-Kamphuis.
All together, each box that is donated leverages another $45 donation! All we ask is that you use the tag #StayHomeFightHunger on social media with a photo or video showing your box being delivered, and we’ll each make a donation.
As we all prioritize staying home to help slow the spread of COVID-19, let’s not forget those individuals in our community struggling with housing, food, and basic needs. Now is the time to act and join the fight against hunger. We can make it through this if we do it together.
 Mike Goorhouse is president of The Community Foundation of the Holland Zeeland Area.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Quality of Life: The community, through governmental, religious, business and social organizations, makes decisions that contribute to its own well-being.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.

By Mike Goorhouse, The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area
Life can change so fast. Just two weeks ago, local school districts closed and people began to self-isolate amidst the COVID-19 outbreak. Earlier this week, Gov. Whitmer issued the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” executive order which suspended activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life.
The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic are global. Communities everywhere are feeling the economic and social impacts and doing their best to navigate these turbulent times. There are plenty of reasons to feel anxious, but let’s try our best to embrace hope and positivity.
Examples of good can be found everywhere: Salons donating gloves and masks, teachers driving through neighborhoods and waving to students, Hope College donating PPE supplies to the hospital, and breweries and distilleries creating hand sanitizer to combat shortages.

Another example of hope can be found in our local nonprofit sector. COVID-19 presented a major hurdle, as human service agencies had to balance their missions with unexpected expenses and logistical headaches of social distancing and decreased volunteers.
These organizations are already well-versed in collaboration and innovation, and they stepped up in a big way! Each day, local leadership shares resources and ideas to keep people housed, fed, and healthy.
Recognizing the need for a rapid, efficient and effective response to the impact of COVID-19, The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area, Grand Haven Area Community Foundation, Greater Ottawa County United Way, Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, Community Spoke, and others formed a coalition.
We created a website: www.careottawacounty.com, that launched within 24 hours. The site provides a consolidated list of resources for those who need assistance or those looking for ways to help, such as making a financial gift or donating goods. In just 10 days, the website received over 15,000 unique visitors, and 250 people used the volunteer portal provided by Greater Ottawa County United Way.
Financial donations to the newly created Emergency Human Needs Funds, created with seed money from the Holland/Zeeland and Grand Haven area community foundations and United Way, have exceeded $400,000. These donations are then distributed in real-time to the human service agencies in our community that are struggling to keep people fed, housed, and healthy. So far, 18 local organizations have received grants to help bridge the increased demand for assistance.
We’re in this together, so visit and share the site: www.careottawacounty.com. Help everyone in our county learn about this resource – whether they need assistance or want to find a way to make a difference.
The need is great, and no gift of time or resources is too small. There are even opportunities to help from the safety of your home! Let’s join together in hope and positivity and keep our community strong.
 Mike Goorhouse is president of The Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area.

This Week’s Sustainability Framework Theme
Community & Neighborhood: The places we live and the individuals we interact with support the development of our personalities and perspectives on life. Encouraging vital and effective communities is essential.

ABOUT THIS SERIES  
Living Sustainably is a collection of community voices sharing updates about local sustainability initiatives. It is presented by the Holland-Hope College Sustainability Institute, a joint project of Hope College, the City of Holland and Holland Board of Public Works. Go to www.hope.edu/sustainability-institute for more information.